Amauroderma
s.lat. has been defined mainly by the morphological features of non-truncate and double-walled basidiospores with a distinctly ornamented endospore wall. In this work, taxonomic and ...phylogenetic studies on species of
Amauroderma
s.lat. are carried out by morphological examination together with ultrastructural observations, and molecular phylogenetic analyses of multiple loci including the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS), the large subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (nLSU), the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (
RPB1
) and the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (
RPB2
), the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (
TEF
) and the β-tubulin gene (
TUB
). The results demonstrate that species of
Ganodermataceae
formed ten clades. Species previously placed in
Amauroderma
s.lat. are divided into four clades:
Amauroderma
s.str.,
Foraminispora
,
Furtadoa
and a new genus
Sanguinoderma
. The classification of
Amauroderma
s.lat. is thus revised, six new species are described and illustrated, and eight new combinations are proposed. SEM micrographs of basidiospores of
Foraminispora
and
Sanguinoderma
are provided, and the importance of SEM in delimitation of taxa in this study is briefly discussed. Keys to species of
Amauroderma
s.str.,
Foraminispora
,
Furtadoa
, and
Sanguinoderma
are also provided.
Ganodermataceae is a remarkable group of polypore fungi, mainly characterized by particular double-walled basidiospores with a coloured endosporium ornamented with columns or crests, and a hyaline ...smooth exosporium. In order to establish an integrative morphological and molecular
phylogenetic approach to clarify relationship of Neotropical Amauroderma s.lat. within the Ganodermataceae family, morphological analyses, including scanning electron microscopy, as well as a molecular phylogenetic approach based on one (ITS) and four loci (ITS-5.8S, LSU, TEF-1α
and RPB1), were carried out. Ultrastructural analyses raised up a new character for Ganodermataceae systematics, i.e., the presence of perforation in the exosporium with holes that are connected with hollow columns of the endosporium. This character is considered as a synapomorphy
in Foraminispora, a new genus proposed here to accommodate Porothelium rugosum (≡ Amauroderma sprucei). Furtadoa is proposed to accommodate species with monomitic context: F. biseptata, F. brasiliensis and F. corneri. Molecular phylogenetic
analyses confirm that both genera grouped as strongly supported distinct lineages out of the Amauroderma s.str. clade.
The fatigue life of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites is of great interest for many engineering applications. This work evaluated the influence of poly(etherimide) (PEI) on the ...fatigue life of laminated thermoplastic composites reinforced with carbon fibers. The mechanical characterization of the carbon/PEI composites was performed by static loading (tensile test) and cyclic fatigue. Tensile strength obtained was used to calculate 5 stress levels for cyclic fatigue testing with R = 0.1 and 12 Hz for 85, 80, 70, 60, and 55%, being this last stress level found as the infinite life. These stress levels allowed plotting a well-described SN curve. Seeking to understand the fracture behavior of carbon/PEI composites, a fractographic study by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed. SEM micrographs confirm the good quality of carbon/PEI laminate with good adhesion between fibers and matrix and also confirmed the nature of fatigue life showing in-plane fracture for high loads and explosive fracture for lower loads.
•Two African Amauroderma species were combined in Sanguinoderma.•Amauroderma trichodermatum was combined in Furtadomyces.•The occurrence of Amauroderma s str. in Africa should be questioned.
...Amauroderma is characterized by a di-trimitic hyphal system and globose to ellipsoid basidiospores without a truncated apex, which are double-walled with a smooth hyaline exosporium and thick and ornamented endospore wall. Although detailed phylogenetic and morphological studies have changed the classification system of Amauroderma s. lat., several species with unknown phylogenetic positions are currently classified as Amauroderma. To clarify the phylogenetic relationships and classification of Amauroderma s. lat. species, we studied specimens from Africa and the Neotropical region using morphological, ultrastructural, and molecular phylogeny based on regions of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS), the Large Subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA gene (LSU), the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II gene (RPB1), the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II gene (RPB2) and the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1-alpha). Our study revealed that out of the five studied species that were previously classified as Amauroderma, two belonged to Sanguinoderma and one to Furtadomyces. We discussed the issue of homonymy between the genera Furtadoella and Furtadomyces, and concluded that Furtadomyces is the valid genus. A new combination, Furtadomyces cornerii, is proposed for a species previously classified under Furtadoa. Morphology and distribution of Amauroderma s. lat. are discussed in the phylogenetic context.
Impairment of the insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Here, we used 4-mo-old male C57BL/6 interleukin-6 (IL-6) knockout mice (KO) to ...investigate the role of this cytokine on IDE expression and activity. IL-6 KO mice displayed lower insulin clearance in the liver and skeletal muscle, compared with wild type (WT), due to reduced IDE expression and activity. We also observed that after 3-h incubation, IL-6, 50 and 100 ng ml
, increased the expression of IDE in HEPG2 and C2C12 cells, respectively. In addition, during acute exercise, the inhibition of IL-6 prevented an increase in insulin clearance and IDE expression and activity, mainly in the skeletal muscle. Finally, IL-6 and IDE concentrations were significantly increased in plasma from humans, after an acute exercise, compared to pre-exercise values. Although the increase in plasma IDE activity was only marginal, a positive correlation between IL-6 and IDE activity, and between IL-6 and IDE protein expression, was observed. Our outcomes indicate a novel function of IL-6 on the insulin metabolism expanding the possibilities for new potential therapeutic strategies, focused on insulin degradation, for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases related to hyperinsulinemia, such as obesity and T2DM.
A new specialist group for Brazilian fungi Drechsler-Santos, Elisandro Ricardo; Calaça, Francisco J. Simões; Martins-Cunha, Kelmer ...
Oryx,
07/2023, Letnik:
57, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Objectives
To assess if baseline iron deficiency, with or without anemia, is associated with incident infections over 3 years among community-dwelling older adults.
Design
Prospective secondary ...analysis of DO-HEALTH, a 3-year randomized, double-blind controlled trial.
Setting And Participants
2157 community-dwelling adults age 70+ from 5 European countries with good cognitive function and mobility and no major health events in the 5 years prior to enrollment Measurements: Incident infections, their severity and type were recorded every 3 months throughout the 3-year follow-up. Iron deficiency was defined as soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) levels > 28.1 nmol/l and anemia as hemoglobin levels < 120 g/l for women and 130 g/l for men. We applied negative binomial mixed effects regression models with random effects for countries, and controlling for treatment allocation, age, sex, body mass index, polypharmacy, number of comorbidities, smoking status, living situation, alcohol intake, frailty status, and physical activity levels. A pre-defined stratified analysis was performed to explore if the associations between iron deficiency and infections were consistent by baseline anemia status.
Results
In total, 2141 participants were included in the analyses (mean age 74.9 years, 61.5% of women, 26.8% with iron deficiency). Across all participants, baseline iron deficiency was not associated with incident overall infections, but was associated with a 63% greater rate of incident severe infections requiring hospitalization (incidence rate ratio IRR 1.63, 95% Confidence Interval CI 1.11–2.41, p=0.01). This association was more pronounced among the 2000 participants who did not have anemia at baseline (IRR=1.80, 95% CI 1.20–2.69, p=0.005).
Conclusion
Based on this prospective study among generally healthy European community-dwelling older adults, iron deficiency was not associated with the incidence rate of overall infections but may increase the incidence of severe infections. Intervention studies are needed to prove the causality of this observation.
This paper reports on Cr
3+-doped and undoped Ni–Zn nanosize ferrite obtained by reaction combustion synthesis. The powders resulting from this synthesis were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) ...and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and their magnetic properties examined with an alternative gradient magnetometer (AGM) and by ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). The XRD results confirmed the formation of Ni
0.5Zn
0.5Fe
2O
4 bulk spinel and small quantities of second phase hematite (αFe
2O
4) to the powders without chromium. However, the powders containing 0.1
mol of chromium showed only a Ni–Zn ferrite cubic phase. The Ni
0.5Zn
0.5Fe
2O
4 and Ni
0.5Zn
0.5Fe
1.9Cr
0.1O
4 showed average crystallite sizes of 20.7 and 22.7
nm, respectively. The SEM micrographs of the powders to the sample without chromium reveals nanoparticles with a regular morphology without pre-sintering and with the presence of soft agglomerations. The powder with 0.1
mol of chromium displays homogeneous and finer nanoparticles, which are more reactive and hence more agglomerated. Saturation magnetization of the phase without Cr
3+ was 61.97
emu/g, while that of the powder with chromium was 40.56
emu/g. The inclusion of chromium caused the magnetization index to drop by 34% and decreased the coercive field,
H
c, by 77%. It is known that the inclusion of chromium is advantageous for high-frequency transformer applications.
The monotypic genus
Umbellidion
remains as an
incertae sedis
in
Pezizomycotina
. This saprotrophic anamorphic fungus is morphologically distinct and unique, occurring widely in Brazil on several ...hosts, with only one record in the Caribbean region. During the project “Microfungi from Brazil: looking for new species,” five strains of
U. radulans
were obtained from decaying leaves of
Eucalyptus
spp., in the Floresta Estadual Edmundo Navarro de Andrade (FEENA), Rio Claro, São Paulo state, Brazil, and were studied based on their morphology and phylogeny. In this study, we conducted a multigene phylogenetic analysis based on ITS, LSU, SSU,
TEF1
, and
RPB2
sequences of 78 related taxa of
Leotiomycetes
. Phylogenetic inference showed that strains of
Umbellidion
form a unique, statistically supported lineage near the base of the
Leotiomycetes
. Accordingly, a new taxonomic order and family
Umbellidiales
and
Umbellidiaceae
were established to classify
U
.
radulans
. In addition,
U
.
radulans
is epitypified based on a new specimen collected from a
Eucalyptus grandis
plantation in Brazil.
In seeking substitutions for the current Chagas disease treatment, which has several relevant side effects, new therapeutic candidates have been extensively investigated. In this context, a balanced ...interaction between mediators of the host immune response seems to be a key element for therapeutic success, as a proinflammatory microenvironment modulated by interleukin-10 (IL-10) is shown to be relevant to potentiate anti-
drug activity. This study aimed to identify the potential immunomodulatory activities of the anti-
K777, pyronaridine (PYR), and furazolidone (FUR) compounds in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from noninfected (NI) subjects and chronic Chagas disease (CD) patients. Our results showed low cytotoxicity to PBMC populations, with 50% cytotoxic concentrations (CC
) of 71.0 μM (K777), 9.0 μM (PYR), and greater than 20 μM (FUR). In addition, K777 showed no impact on the exposure index (EI) of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated leukocytes (PHA), while PYR and FUR treatments induced increased EI of monocytes and T lymphocytes at late stages of apoptosis in NI subjects. Moreover, K777 induced a more prominent proinflammatory response (tumor necrosis factor alpha-positive TNF-α
CD8
/CD4
, gamma interferon-positive IFN-γ
CD4
/CD8
modulated by interleukin-10-positive IL-10
CD4
T/CD8
T) than did PYR (TNF-α
CD8
, IL-10
CD8
) and FUR (TNF-α
CD8
, IL-10
CD8
). Signature analysis of intracytoplasmic cytokines corroborated the proinflammatory/modulated (K777) and proinflammatory (PYR and FUR) profiles previously found. In conclusion, the lead compound K777 may induce beneficial changes in the immunological profile of patients presenting the chronic phase of Chagas disease and may contribute to a more effective therapy against the disease.
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